Ice cream container rack



March 24, 1959 c. BANKER ICE CREAM CONTAINER RACK Filed Feb. 16. 1955 Figi* R8 2 'l IlllllI/[ILJI ICE CREAM ACONTAINER RACK Louis C. Banker, Britt, Iowa Application February 16, 1955, Serial No. 488,642 1 Claim. (Cl. 22085) The instant invention relates `to the art of dispensing ice cream from comparatively large containers, and more particularly from l-gallon as well as 5gallon containers such as are employed at the refreshment counters of ice cream parlors, drugstores, and the like, where ice cream is scooped from the said containers preparatory to serving a dish or cone of ice cream to a customer, and more particularly to a rackV adapted to be positioned in a refrigerating compartment in the said counter.

It is an object of the invention to provide a means for not only holding the said container stationary during a scooping of ice cream therefrom, but also to provide a tray or guard clamped to the open end of the container and in a manner whereby any ice cream which becomes spilled from the scoop employed may be readily returned to the container in lieu of dripping or being spilled on the outer surface or container or onto the door of the bottom of the counter or cabinet in which the container is positioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will not only accommodate containers of different capacity, but will also permit an operator to employ one hand for removal of ice cream from the container with a scoop, but will also permit the operator to simultaneously hold an ice cream cone or dish in his other hand whereby time and laboris conserved.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device having hold-down rods, the ends of which may be threadedly attached to the base thereof at desired times, and which may be secured to the oor of the container without the employment of said base at other times, as may be desired.

,Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description thereof.

vIn the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the new device, certain portions of the base frame thereof being broken away, and the open end of an ice cream container being represented by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts depicted in Figure l, a certain portion of a tray or guard employed being broken away for showing a side portion of the tray in section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a resilient hold-down clamp employed, and certain fragments of the said guard.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the clamp and adjunct parts shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view depicting `in longitudinal section a refrigerating compartment having removable lids and showing thereinrepresentations of 5gallon and lO-gallon ice cream containers, together with the new device applied thereto in a position of use.

It is well known that during a removal of ice cream from a container by means of a scoop and from a large container disposed in a refrigerator compartment such as isemployed at the refreshment counter of a drugstore or the like, the containers slide and turn upon the oor of the compartment since the ice cream is comparatively hard and the operator must fill the said scoop by means of forcible engagement of the edge of the scoop with the frozen cream, whereby as heretofore practiced, the operator has been required to prevent said movement of a container with one hand while scooping ice cream with his other hand. Also, said sliding and turning of a United StatesI Patent container is hard to prevent, especially at times when 5gallon containers are vstacked yone upon another, and the instant invention aims to obviate the ditliculties of the prior practice by providing a device for maintaining said containers stationary during a dispensing of ice cream from the latter.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claim. And while there is stated the primary eld of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout and in which the numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, and 12 indicates a guard employed.

As best shown in Figure 2, the guard 12 includes a portion 14 which is horizontally disposed in use, having three upwardly disposed anges. The flanges 16 are disposed at the sides of the guard, and a ange 17 at one end thereof. At that side or end of the guard 12 which is oppositely disposed with respect to the flange 17,

the guard is provided with a downwardly disposed flange 18, for purposes later described.

The guard is provided with a medially disposed aperture 19, which is of less diameter than the diameter of the wall of an ice cream container with which the new device is employed, said container being of a diameter conventionally employed by ice cream factories, usually being formed of sheet metal.

The guard 12 includes a circular flange 20 disposed at the perimeter of said aperture. The ilange 20, during use, extends downwardly from the horizontal portion 14 of the guard and into the mouth of the ice cream container disposed there below. Preferably the flange ts snugly against the inner annular wall 22 of the container 24, said wall and container being represented by broken lines in Figures l and 2.

At opposite sides of the guard and adjacent the side anges 16 thereof respectively, the guard is provided with two apertures or holes 26 and 28 disposed therethrough, through which the rods 30 and 32 extend respectively, during use.

The rods 30 and 32 are disposed vertically during said use, the upper ends thereof being plain, and the lower ends provided with screw threads 34, respectively, for purposes later described. Although the holding elements are described as rods it will be understood that holding elements of other types and designs may be used.

The new device further includes a base frame 36 which may be employed at times in lieu of floor anges or the like, the latter not being shown, and for purposes later described.

The base frame is generally indicated at 36, and is preferably formed primarily of angle iron having base flanges with vertically disposed webs. The side rails 33 and 40 of the base frame are joined together at'the ends thereof by further angle irons 42 and 43. The end rail 42 is best shown in Figure 1, and the end rail 43 represented in Figure 5 only. The base frame provides an elongated rectangular configuration in plan, and is adaptedv to be positioned upon the bottom of the later-described vcompartment or cooler 58.

As best shown in Figure 2, the horizontally disposed ann ofthe side' rail" 40`is provided with an aperture 44,

the-wall of which'is provided with a'screw threadl com#v As best shown in Figure 1, the ends of' the angle' ironsofthe base are .miteredV and areabutted prior to Welding them together' as indicated at 45 by means' of broken lines and as best shown in FigureZ. One arm` of each" of Vthe an'gleirons is horizontally disposed and their other arms are vertically disposed during use'.l

During use, the annular ange20 isl disposedy within the mo'uth-l ofy the container 24 asv heretofore described, and'means'are provided'on the upperfends of the rods for` maintaining the circular ange within said mouth atl Thepreferred means is a' clamp, now to desired times. be described, for each rod. Since said clampsare of like construction withl respect to each other, but one thereof is minutely described herein.v Referring to Figure 4, the clamp 46 is formed `of'resilient sheet metal material, bent to provide diverging springlplates'forming oppositely disposed grippers 48 and 50 which extend from the'main body portion thereof. The said grippers' are' provided with likek aperturesv 52, saidv apertures being of a larger bore than the diameter of the rods 30-and 32, for looselyk receiving said lrods therethrough, as best shown in Figure 3. The inherent resiliencyof theclamp 46 causes the' free ends of said grippers to normally be urged away from each other for purposes later described. The mainbody portion o f the clamp is secured by any suitablemeans, such as'the rivet 54, to a stop 56, the lower or free end of which causessaid/grip'pers to be spaced from'the upper surface of the horizontal portion 14 of the guardV 12 suiciently to permit the operator to applyhsr thumb and'forefinger, respectively, to the' grippers`48 and 50, for moving them toward each other and permitting thev clamp to slide on the rodl'for purposes later described. At timesV when the operator releases the said gripper's, the latter return to a normal condition and into engagement with the rod forlocking the clamp to said rod, as shown in Figure Y4, thereby maintaining the sleeve 20 disposed in the open end or mouth of the` container 24."

As best shown in Figuret 3, thestop member S6 isT L-shaped in plan, -theV arm 57 thereof being'disposed inwardly and confrontingly with respect to its oppos'itelyI disposed mate at the IVother Vside of the container', whereby said arm provides a' shield `orguard whereby the knuckles or fingers of an'operator are prevented from coming in contact 'with the'grippers of the clamp during a scooping of ice cream from the container 24.

Referring to Figure 5, adjacent the ice cream container 24 two like containers of lesser capacity are indicated at 60 and 62, being stacked Within the lrefrigerated com-l partment or cooler 58.- Above the 'container 24a remov cone or dish, this being permitted since thecontainer 24 isheld stationary by means Vof thelnew device. Sim-V ilarly`,v.ice cream'isserved fromthe container 60 until the latter 'is empty, whereupon the container 60, together withfitsguardlZ, s removed.' The cover for`the"contaner 62'isl then removed, whereupon the'said guard;

is applied to the container 62 for maintainngthe latter A. stationary in conjunction with the resilient grippers and theirv adjunct parts.'y

As best shown in Figure 2, the downwardly disposed tiange 18 of the guard 12 is abutted against the nextadjacent like flange 68 ofthe further guard 70 employed, whereby the guards 12 and' 70 may bemovedindependently of each other.

Among otherv advantagesl of theV invention it will be seen that the guard 12 not only serves` to maintainA the container 24 stationary, but also'is of advantage since any ice cream spilled upon the horizontal portion 14 thereof during avremoval of ice cream from the `container 24', which lodges upon4 said horizontal portion, may be scraped o'r moved back intothe container 24 by theoperat'o'r. y i l y j,

From the foregoing specification, it will become ap,- parentl that the invention disclosed will adequately/accomplish the functionsfor which'it has been'designed and' in an economicalmarln'er, and' that itsl simplicity, ziccuracy, and ease of operation are' such asA to provide a relatively` inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish', andY that it will tind an important'placein the art to which it appertains when once place'don the market.

It'is thoughfthatv persons" skilled in the art to which` theV invention relate'swill be able to obtain a clear'underi stnding'of the invention after consideringthe descrip tion in connectionY withthe drawings. Therefore a more lengthy'description'is regarded as unnecessary. l Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement' of details and'pa'rtssch asco'me within tl'ie`p'urview"of the inveri y tion claimed may'be resortedy to inA actual practice', if

desired.

Il claim: l y In'an ice cream container rack, the combination' which comprises a rectangular-shaped horizontally disposed' base frame including side" and end rails', L-shaped in cross" section, having horizontallyfpositionedbase flanges' and verticallydisp'osed w'ebs extended'from outerl edges'ofl the base 'anges,nspaced pairs of rods lmounted'inand extended upwardly from`the base flanges of the rails, the" baseflangesof" the`railsI being positioned to receiveviceI cream containers, a horizontally disposedplate haviri'ga' circular opening therein with a depending angeextended aroundthe openin'g'designed to be'p'os'itioned on the' upper end of an ice cream container positioned'on'the' base anges of the base frame providing a guard around the'upper edge ofan ice cream 'container with the dependin'g ange 'extended' into'theupperedge of the container,

theplate having upwardly extended flanges on three sidesand a depending ange on the fourth side, the lfourthside beingpositioned' to be in meeting relation with the' guard of anotherice'creani container, said plateihaving open'- ings' in op'po's'it'e sidesv and the 'openings being positioned to receive the vertically disposed rods extended 'lrom'the basel flange 4of the' baseframe, and spring gripping clamps having divergingarrns with openings'therein mounted on the plate and positioned jwhereby the vertically disposed rods extend through the openings of the arms and' are grppedby edges of said openings.

References'Ci/t'ed'in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

